Lumber-handling apparatus.



PATENTED JAN. 3, 1905.

G. E. DUPBE. LUMBER HANDLING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 10. 1904.

3 SHEETS-SHEBT 1.

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Wvwsas: w '2 J No. 778,956. PATENTED JAN. 3, 1905. G. E. DUPBE. LUMBER HANDLING APPARATUS.

APPLIOATION FILED FEB. 10, 1904.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

v Ewe/71167 3; 10 m. iwtm- I Z7 No. 778,956. PATENTED JAN. 3, 1905.

G. E. DUPBE.

LUMBER HANDLING APPARATUS. APPLIOATION FILED FEB. 10, 1904,

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

Patented January 3, 190 5.

I PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE E. DUPEE, OF SOMERVILLE, MASSACHUSETTS.

LUMBER-HANDLING APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 778,956, dated January 3, 1905.

Application filed February 10, 1904. Serial No. 192,914.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE E. DUPEE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Somerville, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Lumber-Handling Apparatus, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is aspecification, like figures on the drawings representing like parts.

In my copending application, Serial No. 174,853, filed September 28, 1903, I have illustrated and described a lumber-handling apparatus which-comprises a sectional frame carrying positively-rotating rolls for feeding the lumber forward, a feeding-in device at one end of the frame for conveying the lumber sidewise to the frame, and an elevator at the other end thereof for elevating the lumber from the frame to the top of the pile, where it is stacked.

My present invention is an improvement on the device illustrated in my former application and shows a modification of the invention therein disclosed which is especially adapted for conveying the lumber from the hold of a vessel to the pile or stack and elevating it. The device comprises a sectional frame having the positively-driven rolls, as in my other application, said frame being so constructed as to be inserted through the ports of a vessel into the hold thereof, means for properly supporting one end of said frame in the hold of the vessel, and an improved form of elevator at the other end of the frame, which is adapted to take the lumber from the rolls and elevate it to the top of the stack.

The particular features wherein my invention resides will be more fully hereinafter described, and pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure l is a horizontal section through a vessel, showing the manner in which my device is introduced into the hold thereof. Fig. 2 is a cross-section through the vessel,showing one way of supporting the portion of the frame within the vessel. Fig. 3 is a similar view showing another way of supporting the frame. Fig. 4c is a detail hereinafter described. frame at the elevator end thereof.

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the Fig. 6 is legs of the elevator.

an end view of the elevator. Fig. 7 is a side view thereof. Fig. 8 is a detail of one of the Figs. 9 and 10 are de- Fig. 11 is an Figs. 12 and tails hereinafter referred to. enlarged view of the elevator.

13 are details showing the way in which the frame-supporting members are clamped to the stanchions of the vessel. Fig. 1 is a modification. Fig. 15 shows, on an enlarged scale, a portion of one of the spirally-ribbed rolls.

Lumber-carrying vessels usually have ports in their bows, through which a portion of the lumber may be unloaded, and it is my intention to introduce my improved lumber-handling apparatus through these ports and place them substantially longitudinally of the vessel. In Fig. 1 the vessel in outline is designated by 3, and t designates the usual stanchions extending from the keelson to the deck and supporting the latter, and 5 designates the foot of the masts. I propose to support the sections 6 of the frame carrying the positively-driven rolls for carrying the lumber forward from either the stanchions or from the masts, as most convenient, and for this purposel provide frame-supporting members which are adapted to be secured to the stanchions or masts and on which the sections of the frame may rest.

The form of frame-supporting members herein employed comprises a clamping device which is adapted to be clamped about a mast or stanchion and supporting-arms 8, carried by said clamping device.

One form of clamping device is illustrated in detail in Figs. 12 and 13 and comprises a plurality of blocks or members so connected together as to be clamped about the stanchion 4:. As herein illustrated, there are four such blocks 7 7 7 b 7 and the blocks 7 and 7 c are connected by the clamping-rod 9, the blocks 7" and 7" by the clamping-rod 10, the blocks 7 and 7 by the clamping rod 11, and the blocks 7 and 7 by a similar clamping-rod. Said rods may either be provided at their ends with left and right hand screw-threads, which engage the corresponding blocks, so that upon turning the rods in one direction or the other the blocks can be drawn together or separated, or the blocks may be drawn together, and thus clamped about the stanchion by tightening the nuts 12 thereon. It is the latter construction which I have illustrated herein.

Extending through the blocks 7 '7 and also through the blocks 7 7 are the arms 8, on which the sections 6 of the frame are supported. Said arms are slidably mounted in the block and may be held in position in any suitable way, as by set-screws 14. In Figs. 1, 2, and 3 said arms are shown in the form of bars, while in Figs. 12 and 13 they are shown as rods. The arms are preferably braced by suitable adjustable braces 15, which are secured at one end to said arms and at the other end to the stanchion either above or below the arms.

In Fig. 2 the braces are shown as connected to the stanchions below the arms, so that the arms are braced from beneath, while in Fig. 3 the braces are connected to the stanchions above the arms, so that the latter are braced from above.

In Fig. 2 the braces are shown as connected to the cross-rods 18, connecting the two arms 8, said cross-rods preferably being provided at their ends with left and right hand screwthreads, so that the arms 8 may be closed together as the clamping-blocks are clamped about the stanchions. At their lower ends the said braces are connected to a suitable clamping device, such as shown in Fig. 4, comprising the four members 20, 21, 22, and 23. Each member has at one end an eye through which the screw-threaded end of the adjacent member passes, and the screw-threaded end of each member has thereon a clamping-nut 24. By merely tightening the nut 24 the members can be clamped tightly about the stanchion. Two of the members 20 and 22 are provided with suitable eyes 25, into which the lower ends of the braces 15 are hooked.

In the form shown in Fig. 3 the clamping devices 20 to 23, &c., are placed at the upper ends of the stanchions, and the braces are connected to the intermediate cross members 19. In either form the projecting ends of the arms 8 form a support for the sectional frame 6. As many of the frame-supporting members may be used in the vessel as is necessary to supportthe proper length of frame.

It will be understood that all the rolls 2 on my sectional frame are positively connected together by means of sprocket-chains and are driven from a suitable source of power, as in my copending application.

The sectional frame spans the space from the vessel to the wharf 30 and is extended from there to the place where the lumber is to be piled; At this place is an elevator similar in many respects to that described in my copending application.

The section of the frame where the elevator stands I have designated by 60, and this carries a plurality of rolls 30, which are provided with spiral ribs, as shown in Fig. 5.

At either end of the frame is a suitable vertically-movable stop or bunter 31, which can be elevated into position to engage the lumber being fed forward by the rolls. The placing of the hunter into operative position stops the lumber while resting on the screw-rolls 30, and the continued rotation of these rolls carries the lumber transversely of the frame and toward one side thereof, as will be obvious. In this form of my invention the elevator comprises the two legs 33, which are suitably connected together by cross members 34, and the elevator structure may be braced, if necessary, by suitable braces 35.

36 36 designate endless chains having lumber-carrying members 37 depending therefrom and passing over pulleys 38 and 39 at the bottom and top of the ladder, respectively.

The legs 33 are each made tubular, and the parts are so arranged that the lower runs of the chains pass through the legs, said legs being slotted on their under side for the passageof the fingers 37 The two sprocket-wheels 38 are mountedon a suitable driving-shaft 40, carried by stationary bearings 41, and said shaft 40 is driven from the counter-shaft 42 by means of suitable belt-gearing 44. The shaft 42 in turn is driven from one of the positively-driven rolls 30 by means of a shaft 46, which is geared to the shaft 42 and is operated from one of the rolls by a suitable driving-belt 47.

At the lower end of each of the legs 33 is a casting 48, having the bearing 49, through which the shaft 40 passes, said bearings and castings furnishing the supports for the elevator.

I preferably make the bearings 49 slotted,

as shown in Fig. 8, so that they may be readily removed from the shaft 40. This construction greatly facilitates the erection or taking down of the device. With this con struction the elevator is supported by the shaft 40 in such a way that it can turn about said shaft and be swung into different angular positions. It may be raised or lowered and held in any adjustable position by any suitable block-and-tackle arrangement 49.

The cross members 34 are secured at their ends to suitable castings 51, which partially encircle the tubular legs 33, as seen in Figs. 9 and 11, said castings being provided with suitable slots to correspond with the slots in the tubular legs 33. The upper castings 51 are provided with. arms 52, in which the upper rolls or pulleys 39 are supported. An

elevator constructed as above described is cheap to manufacture and very strong.

In my former application I have illustrated and described vmeans whereby the operation of the elevator is automatically controlled by the lumber itself, so that when the lumber during its forward movement arrives at the elevator the latter is automatically started in operation to pick the lumber from the rolls and carry it from the top of the pile, and when the latter point has been reached the elevator is automatically stopped. The same operations are carried out in my present invention, although by a slightly-different means.

As herein shown the shaft 12 has loose thereon the bevel-gear 55, which continually meshes with the bevel-gear 56 on the constantly-rotating shaft 46, and 57 designates a clutch member rotatingwith the shaft 42, but slidably mounted thereon, which is adapted to be brought into engagement with the gear 55, which constitutes a corresponding clutch member.

The clutch 57 is operated by a suitable lever 58, which is connected to a clutch-actuating lever 32, one end of which projects above the rolls and in position to be acted upon by the lumber when the latter ismoved transversely of the frame.

As the lumber is fed forward from the left, or in the direction of the arrow a, Fig. 5, and comes onto the rolls 30 it strikes the hunter 31, at the left in Fig. 5, which has previously been raised, and is held from further forward movement. The continued action of the rolls carries the lumber transversely of the frame and brings it against the actuating-lever 32, thereby actuating the latter. This results in throwing the clutch 57 into engagement and the corresponding starting of the elevator, which operates to pick the lumber up from the rolls 30 and carry it to the top of the pile.

The means I have provided for automatically stopping the elevator when the lumber has reached the required height are as follows: 61 designates a suitable catch which is adapted to engage the lever 32 when the latter has been thrown into operative position by the lumber and holds the lever in such position. Said catch is connected by a rod 62 with the lever 63 and the latter by a suitable connection 64: to a collar 65, loose upon the shaft 40. Said collar has an arm 66 projecting therefrom, which is connected to an actuating-rod 67, slidably mounted in flanges 68 on the castings 51. A second rod, 69, fixedly carried by the castings, has a finger 7 0 depending therefrom, which is adapted to be engaged by the lumber as the latter is elevated. 71 is an adjustable stop carried by the actuating-rod 67 and adapted to be engaged by the finger 70 when the latter is operated. With this construction it will be seen that when the finger 70in swung upwardly by the lumber it will be brought into engagement with the stop 71 and the actuating-rod 67 will be moved endwise, such movement operating to turn the collar and through the connections 62 63 release the latch from the lever. A suitable spring 73 or equivalent means then returns the lever 32 to its normal position, and thus disengages the clutch and stops the elevator. The elevator will be held in its adjusted position by any suitable pawland-ratchet mechanisms Both the finger and the stop 71 are adjustably carried by the rods 67 and 69,respectively,so that said finger and stop may be placed in any desired position, according to the height to which it is desired to carry the lumber before stopping the elevator.

The means for disengaging the clutch by hand, which I have shown in my copending application, may be employed in this form of my invention, if desired.

76 designates a winch-head carried by asuitable shaft 77, journaled in the frame and operating from one of the positively-driven rolls in any suitable way. Said winch-head is preferably loosely mounted on the shaft, but can be clutched thereto by means of a suitable clutch 78, operated by a hand-lever 7 9 or in any other suitable way. A pawl 80, engaging suitable ratchet-teeth on the winch-head, serves to lock said winch from backward rotation when the clutch is disengaged. This winch is especially useful for drawing lumber up to the frame or for operating-a portable derrick and for various other purposes.

The operation of my improved lumber-handling apparatus will be clear from the illustrations and the foregoing description and, briefly, is as follows: After a little of the lumber adjacent the port-holes in the bow of the vessel has been removed one of the sections of my frame is inserted in each of said portholes and the sections connected to those on shore. The device is then set in operation. The lumber which is placed upon the rolls within the vessel is carried without further manual manipulation to the elevator and by the elevator is taken to the top of the pile, as above described. As the unloading of the vessel proceeds one or more of the frame-supporting members are secured to the stanchions and the frames extend the full length of the vessel, as seen in Fig. 1, and preferably through both port-holes. The position of the frame, whether supported as in Figs. 2 and 3, depends upon the amount of lumber in the vessel. The arrangement shown in Fig. 5 is adapted to take lumber coming from the right, and in such case the left-hand stop is elevated and the right-hand depressed. I have constructed my device, however, so that lumber can be fed to the elevator from either direction, and if the lumber is to come from the left, Fig. 5, the left-hand stop will be depressed and the right-hand stop elevated into the path of the lumber. At the same time the rolls 30, which are made removable, are taken out and other rolls having an opposite spiral put in place. When this change has been are when the lumber is fed from the right. In such event, of course, some suitable reversing-gearing will be interposed between the shafts 46 and 4:2 to permit the elevator to operate properly.

In Fig. 14: I have illustrated a form of stop for the lumber which also can be used as a lumber-sorter. This form of stop comprises the cross-piece 80, carried by suitable legs 81, said cross-piece extending over and above the rolls. The legs 81 can be raised by a suitable mechanism to carry the cross-pieces any desired distance above the top of the rolls. If, for instance, said cross piece is arranged slightly more than one inch above the rolls, then all boards or lumber one inch in thickness or thinner would pass under the crosspiece and onto another elevator, while all lumber thicker than one inch would be stopped by the cross-piece, and consequently picked up by the elevator.

By employing two or three elevators having different positions and several of these lumber-sorting stops it is possible not only to stack the lumber, but to sort it automatically.

While I have described my invention as adapted to unload lumber from the hold of the vessel, transport it to the piler, and then elevate it to the top of the pile, it will be obvious that these various stops can be reversedthat is, the lumber can be lowered from the top of the pile and fed forward and into the hold of a vessel for loading the latter. It'wi-ll also be obvious that my device can be used for handling other material than lumber, and

' tional frame carrying positively-driven feeding-rolls and constructed to be introduced into the hold of a vessel through the ports, and means interior of the vessel to support the portion of the frame therein.

2. In a lumber-handling apparatus, a sectional frame carrying positively-driven feeding-rolls and constructed to be introduced into the hold of a vessel through the ports, and frame-supporting means for the portion of the frame within the vessel, said frame-supporting means being clamped to the stanchion.

3. In a lumber-handling apparatus, a frame carrying positively-driven feeding-rolls and 5. In alumber-handlingapparatus, aframe 4 adapted to be inserted into the hold of a vessel through the ports, positively-driven feeding-rolls carried by the frame, and framesupporting means adjustably secured to the stanchions.

6. In a lumber-handling apparatus, aframe adapted to be inserted into the hold of a vessel through the ports, positively-driven feeding-rolls carried by the frame, and frame-supporting means comprising clamping-blocks, means to clamp said blocks to the stanchions, and supporting arms extending from the block.

'7. In a lumber-handling apparatus, a frame constructed to be inserted into the hold of a vessel, positively-driven feeding-rolls carried by said frame, clamping-blocks secured to the stanchions of the vessel, and supporting-arms adjustably carried by the blocks and on which the frame rests.

8. In a lumber-handling apparatus, a frame constructed to be inserted into the hold of a vessel, positively-driven feeding-rolls carried by said frame, clamping-blocks secured to the stanchions of the vessel, supporting-arms adjustably carried by the blocks and on which the frame rests, and braces for the arms.

9. In a lumber-handling apparatus, a frame constructed to be inserted into the hold of a vessel, positively-driven feeding-rolls carried by said frame, clamping-blocks secured to the stanchions of the vessel, supporting-arms adjustably carried by the blocks and on which the frame rests, and adjustable braces secured to the arms and stanchion.

10. In a lumber-handling apparatus, a frame adapted to be inserted into the hold of a vessel, positively-driven feeding-rolls carried by the frame, frame-supporting means adjustably secured to the stanchions, and a piler outside of the vessel constructed to take the lumber from the frame and carry it to the top of the pile.

11. In alumber-handlingapparatus,aframe having positively-driven feeding-rolls, an elevator at one side of the frame to take lumber therefrom, and an adjustable lumber-assorting stop device to restrain forward movement of the lumber when it comes opposite the elevator, the feeding-rolls opposite the elevator being spirally ribbed whereby the lumber when stopped by the stop device is carried transversely of the frame toward the elevator.

12. In a lumber-handling apparatus,a frame having positively-driven feeding-rolls, an elevator at one side of the frame to take lumber therefrom, and a stop device to restrain forward movement of the lumber when it comes opposite the elevator, the feeding-rolls opposite the elevator being spirally ribbed whereby the lumber when stopped by the stop device is carried transversely of the frame toward the elevator, and a clutch for theelevator adapted to be operated by such transverse movement of the lumber.

13. In a lumber-handling apparatus, a sectional frame carrying positively-driven rolls, an elevator at one side of one section, the rolls of said section being spirally ribbed, means to stop the forward movement of the lumber when the latter reaches said spirally-ribbed rolls, whereby the lumber is carried transversely by the rolls, and means operated by such transverse movement of the lumber to start the elevator.

14. In a lumber-handling apparatus, a sectional frame carrying positively-driven rolls, an elevator at one side of one section, the rolls of said section being spirally ribbed, means to stop the forward movement of the lumber when the latter reaches said spirally-ribbed rolls, whereby the lumber is carried transversely by the rolls, and lumber-controlled means to start and stop the elevator.

15. In a lumber-handling apparatus, a sectional frame carrying positively-driven rolls, an elevator at one side of one section, the rolls of said section being removable and spirally ribbed, a bunter or stop at each end of each section, and means to throw either bunter into operative position.

16. In a lumber-handling apparatus, means to feed lumber forward, and an elevator to take lumber from said means and carry it to the top of the pile, said elevator comprising tubular legs and endless chains carrying lumbersupporting fingers, the lower runs of said chains passing through the tubular legs.

17. In a lumber-handling apparatus, means to feed lumber forward, and an elevator to take lumber from said means and carry it to the top of the pile, said elevator comprising slotted tubular legs and endless chains carrying lumber-supporting fingers, the lower runs of said chains passing through the tubular legs and the fingers depending through the slots.

18. In a lumber-handling apparatus, means to feed lumber forward, and an elevator to take lumber from said means and carry it to the top of the pile, said elevator comprising slotted tubular legs and endless chains carrying lumber-supporting fingers, the lower runs of said chains passing through the tubular legs and the fingers depending through the slots,

and lumber-controlled means to start and stop the elevator.

19. In a lumber-handling apparatus, means to feed lumber forward, and an elevator to take lumber from said means and carry it to the top of the pile, said elevator comprising slotted tubular legs and endless chains carrying lumber-supporting fingers, the lower runs of said chains passing through the tubular legs and the lingers depending through the slots, and automatic elevator-operating mechanism.

20. In a lumber-handling apparatus,a frame carrying positively-driven feeding-rolls, an elevator, a winch-head carried by the frame, and means for operating said winch-head from one of the positively-driven rolls.

21. In alumber-handling apparatus,a frame carrying positively-driven feeding-rolls, an elevator, a Winch-head carried by the frame, and operative connections between the winchhead and one of the rolls, said connections including the clutch.

22. In an apparatus of the class described, a frame carrying positively-driven rolls, an elevator at one side of said frame, and a combined lumber sorter and stop adjacent the elevator and arranged to stop all lumber which is thicker than a predetermined measurement, whereby lumber which exceeds a certain thickness is stopped by said combined sorter and stop and picked up by the elevator while the thinner lumber is allowed to pass.

23. In an apparatus of the class described, means to feed lumber forward, an elevator, and a combined lumber sorter and stop situated adjacent the elevator, said lumber sorter and stop comprising a vertically-adjustable member above the lumber-feeding means and extending transversely to the path of the lumber.

24. In an apparatus of the class described, a plurality of positively-driven rolls, an elevator, and an adjustable lumber assorting stop situated above the feeding-rolls and extending transversely across the path of the lumber.

25. In an apparatus of the class described, a frame carrying a plurality of positivelydriven feeding-rolls, an elevator, and a vertically-adjustable lumber-assorting stop situated above the feeding-rolls and extending transversely to the line of movement of the lumber.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

LoUIs C. SMITH, J OHN O. EDWARDS. 

